That Old Planetary Age Gap
by TheRedhood908
Summary: (Reposted and corrected) When the secrecy of Starfire and Questions relationship finally catches up to the younger woman, our residential conspiracy theorist has to show that she's more than a secret to him. And to do so, he needs to really step out of his comfort zone.


_**(So this was just a little one off I did. Don't really know how I feel about it but I'm hoping you guys will like it. A little unorthodox and all, and maybe a little short but I think it's okay)**_

_**(Hello again, sorry I had to repost this. I made a major error which I thank Magitech for pointing out. I rushed this out at work and apologize for that)**_

_**Justice League Watchtower, The Question's Quarters**_

"No! I'm tired of being made to feel foolish and most of all I'm tired of feeling like the other woman when I'm the only woman" Koriand'r, otherwise known as Starfire says while making to leave the room. Vic stands up, quickly grasping the woman's arm. "Kori, it's not like that and you know it" he says exasperatedly, wanting to get through to the woman.

She jerks her arm out of his grasp quickly, glaring at him with an intensity made greater by the emerald hue of her eyes. If she could shoot starbolts out of her eyes instead of her hands he knew that he'd have been incinerated nine times over. "Ohh? And what is it "like"? Explain it to me again. After all, I'm just a stupid and naive girl aren't I? And to top it off, an even dumber alien!" she asks, venom dripping from every word. Vic can't help the feeling of hurt that he is now overcome by. She didn't believe he thought that about her, did she?

"Kori, I don't think you're stupid in any way. All I'm saying is…." he starts before being cut off by another tirade. "Are you sure we should be using such familiar nicknames? After all, I'm just you teammate. Wouldn't want any of the others to think anything scandalous was happening would you?". Vic sighs, bringing his hand up to his mask as if to pinch the bridge of his nose. He couldn't retort. Not when it was a fair and on point accusation.

"Kori...I….damn" he says, starting and stopping, not knowing what to say at all. Kori seems to calm and soften herself upon seeing her boyfriend accepting defeat. "Vic" she starts, moving in close and placing her hands on his shoulders. "I love you. I do. You're smart, sweet and gentle. You've always treated me like an equal. But I can't share my life with you if it's in darkness. I just can't" she says, remembering the early days of her apprenticeship in the league.

Vic had taken her under his wings and taught her all the ins and outs of League protocol and rules. He'd even taught her new techniques in hand to hand combat and effective detective work. He'd been an excellent teacher and friend. She wouldn't have continued on in the League, nor moved on from the Titans and….him, if it weren't for Vic.

Soon, she found his steadying hands lingering on her longer and longer and not much time passed after that she kissed him. Attraction soon blossomed into more, and one day Vic revealed his identity to her. She had been so happy that she couldn't help floating into the air when he did, flying towards him and smothering his face in her kisses.

Their relationship was amazing, with both accepting the other's strangeness without judgement or scrutiny. The only concession that she had to make was secrecy. Their relationship had to be kept hidden from the others for one important reason, or at least an important reason to Vic. Their age difference, while not huge, was still an obstacle. He didn't want to be looked at strangely, and he didn't want Starfire to have to deal with anything the others might say either. Starfire had initially agreed despite how similar this was to her former relationship with Robin, now Nightwing, of the Teen Titans. It was different because while they were together, Vic was the sweetest and most romantic of men.

There was also the fact that he wasn't a two timing liar. She remembered the night that she'd searched his computer, expecting to find some evidence of infidelity. After an intense bout of lovemaking, Vic had fallen asleep and she slipped out of his arms. She'd moved over to his computer and quickly managed to log in as she had remembered his password. She felt guilty for doubting him, and breaching his trust in her own way but her past experiences still lingered with her. She needed to know. What she found on the computer instead, was a pleasant surprise. No infidelity, no pornography and most importantly no open chat logs with an old flame from Gotham. Instead?

Pages upon pages making a link between Bigfoot, a creature she did not understand, and the Tonkin Gulf incident. She was utterly confused, but searching through his files and links further showed nothing more than his theories. She was going to close the computer when she saw another folder, simply labelled important.

She opened it, and smiled as soon as she saw what it was. Pictures of her and Vic together that they'd taken on their private dates. It was a whole folder dedicated to the two and with a smile she slipped back into bed, kissing him gently until she dressed and went back to her own room, ensuring that nobody saw her exit Vic's room in the wee hours of the morning.

She smiles at the memory before once more moving to the door and opening it, exiting without another word as Vic stands alone in the room, looking after her.

"I need to fix this. But how? I...I hate this but...I have to ask Wally" he says, talking to himself as he usually did. His friend would indeed have some experience in this field. He'd never go to the scarlet speedster for romantic advice, but advice on how to apologize for being an absolute idiot? Wally was perfect. In the past week alone Wally had to apologize to his girlfriend Beatriz multiple times for whatever stupid remark or selfish thing he'd done.

Vic sighs and begins to gather up his coat and fedora, vowing that for the rest of his life he'd never do something stupid enough to force him to go see Wally for relationship advice again.

_**Justice League Cafeteria and Observation Deck**_

"Sooo...you gonna tell me what's going on?" asks Stargirl, who walks alongside the Tamaranian princess carrying her own, albeit more normal by Earth standards, tray of lunch. Kori just sighs and sits down at the table, picking up her fork and tasting her eggs and mustard. "I...well, I'm not sure if I'm allowed to" she says quietly, remaining strangely mum on the subject. The blonde takes her seat across from the woman and chuckles. "Why wouldn't you be? If it's affecting you, you should be able to talk about it" Courtney says, eating a strip of bacon. "You've been moping for two straight days. Even went back to your bikini ensemble. What gives?" she asks.

Starfire had indeed reverted back to her more revealing outfit, an outfit Vic had asked her not to wear in public. She didn't understand it, but she had complied after talking to Vic about the standards of female Earth dress. He didn't want men ogling her but didn't force the issue. Kori had made the concession and decision herself as a sign that she truly cared about him. A sort of public declaration. 'Why could he not make such a declaration of his own?' she asks mentally before remembering that Stargirl was in front of her.

She sighs and opens her mouth, beginning to speak. "It's about your relationship with Question isn't it?" Stargirl asks, almost disinterestedly as she begins to eat her breakfast. Kori's mouth remains open, but no words come out. "What….how did you know about Question and I?" she asks, feeling the first flutterings of embarrassment in her stomach. She didn't want to keep her feelings for the man a secret, but she'd thought she'd done a pretty good job of it. Courtney just shrugs. "Ohh, everyone knows. I mean, it's kind of obvious" she said.

"How so?" the now curious Tamaranian asks, beginning to eat her own food, quickly getting over the fact that her relationship with the conspiracy theorist was common knowledge. Stargirl just laughs. "Ohh come on. The way you'd look at him and the way he'd look at you gave it all away, thought it was admittedly harder to gauge how he felt by his eyes as...well, you know. But all that time he spent with you even after your apprenticeship was over? That was the dead ringer. Vic doesn't spend much time with anybody, well except Wally. Not since he had that break up with Huntress" she says almost dismissively.

Kori feels her hands tense around the fork but mentally reminds herself to relax. Tamaranians were known to be possessive, especially in matters of love. Despite the view of her word as "morally loose", Tamaran was very puritan when it came to relationships beyond dating, which included proclamations of love. The words themselves were almost wedding vows. It always made her guilty that she had exchanged them with Nightwing, and it made her fume that Vic had shared them with Huntress before her. On her home planet, in such a case, Vic would have to fight Nightwing to regain her honor, and she would fight Huntress for his. She would've been glad to do so, considering how dismissive of Vic the Gotham based vigilante had become and how rude she was to her the few times Kori had run into her.

"Everyone knows" she says, confirming what she had already heard.

"Yeah. Even the big wigs. It's been a kind of running gag on when you two would come out and admit it. I mean, the way he sits with you, talks to you and listens to you, no offense but sometimes it's had to hold a conversation with you, were all just screaming how much he cares about you" Courtney continues, her words receding into a grey murmur as Kori begins to think. 'All those small things...he was showing everyone in his own way, without even realizing it' she thinks, smiling at how his had all come to her at this moment. She hadn't been wrong. She wanted to openly share her life with Vic. She just didn't realize she already was.

"Ehh hmm" comes a sound from behind them, a man clearing his throat. Kori turns and sees Vic standing there, his hands behind his back. "Starfire...Kori" he corrects himself. "May I talk to you?" he asks.

Starfire can't help but smile and turn to Courtney. "Excuse me Stargirl but…" she begins but is interrupted by Vic. "No, it's alright. She can stay there. In fact, I'm glad we got to do this in the cafeteria" he says, numerous other leaguers beginning to stop and stare, some with smirks affixed to their faces as they realized what was happening. Vic exhales a quick burst of breath and readies himself while Kori smiles up at him, nervous herself. She was beginning to understand why Vic had wanted secrecy.

"Kori, I just want to say that I'm sorry for being such an idiot. I guess I just wanted to keep you all to myself. My little secret, but you're not a secret. You're one of the greatest things that's ever happened to me and I love you" he says, kneeling down to be at face level with his girlfriend before he brings his hand from around his back. He was holding a bouquet of roses with a note attached, a heart with a question mark inside of on the cover. Kori gasps and the entire hall seems to hold its breath. "Karumi'ngeflter" she says, bringing her hands to either side of his face and kissing him, causing everyone to erupt in cheers and Stargirl, who was rather close to the action, letting out a wolf whistle.

When the kiss ends Kori rests her forehead against Vic's. "What did that mean? What you said in Tamaranian" he asks to which she smiles. "The words are difficult to translate to English but roughly it is the acceptance of an apology between lovers. It is greater than the normal apology as it implies that the love between the two whom it is used has grown stronger" she says, kissing his masked cheeks.

"I love you" he says simply, to which she responds, "Tchikit' Loinira" which needed no further translation. Vic kisses her deeply and grasps her by the waist, picking her up bridal style and carrying her away, to the enthusiastic support of the others. Even Batman seems to let a slight smile loose.

Beatriz crosses her arms under her chest and smirks at her boyfriend. "You gave him advice didn't you?" she asks, causing the speedster to blush and shrug. "Yeah" he says sheepishly. "And you didn't tell me he was with Kori?" she asks. "What? I thought everyone knew, it was practically common knowledge" he says. "I had no clue" Fire says, smiling and shaking her head. "You did a nice thing Wally. I'll reward you later" she says, pecking her boyfriend's cheek.

Behind them Dinah Lance scowls as she hands Shayera Hol a ten dollar bill. "I'm not happy about this, but hey, you called it so you earned it" the blonde huffs as the winged woman takes the bill. "Thank you" she says, overemphasizing the words as the crowd simmers down.

_**Three Months Later, Paris**_

"Ohh X'hal" she says, moving onto her back in the bed and sighing, her hair mussed and her bare skin covered in a light sheen of sweat. Vic is no better and he turns, grasping his wife by the waist and pulling her into him. "Same here. You're going to kill me one of these days" he teases, kissing along her jawline. She smiles and tilts her head, allowing him more access to her neck. "I believe that most men would be happy to die in such a way. Killed by a younger woman during lovemaking. Especially an old man like you. On Tamaran that would be considered the only glorious death outside of battle" she teases, rubbing his shoulder and cooing into his ear.

"Old hmm?" he teases, feigning offense. She knew what he was doing and couldn't help the moan that escapes her lips as his hand finds its way to her breast. "Yes, practically ancient" she teases, biting her lip as he moves over her again. "Well, one of the perks of that is that there is a lot I can teach you" he says. Her mind instantly moves to all the things he had already taught her and she shivers in anticipation. Her hands roam over his body, belaying the fact that she thought he was anything but ancient.

"Again Vic? I heard from someone that there is a disease we can catch called honeymoonitis. It comes about through too much lovemaking" she says, a bit nervous as she hadn't been aware, but knowing her husband would know what she was talking about. He just smirks and raises an eyebrow. "Let me guess, Stargirl told you" he asks, getting a meek nod in response. "Well, it is a real thing, but certainly not dangerous. In fact, it's rather fun to catch. We'd both just be sore after and probably wouldn't want to go on physical duty after" he teases.

Kori is assuaged that it isn't dangerous and smiles. "If you can keep up then, husband" she says, enjoying that word and how it feels coming off of her lips. "Then I'm all yours" she teases before Vic captures her lips again and moves his body over her.

It is dark in Paris, and right outside of the hotel room window stands the Eiffel tower, which seems to be the sole viewer of their lovemaking that night, though many parisians walking the streets below would hear moans, coos and shouts, it was something they were used to.

After all, it was the city of love.


End file.
